Material handling apparatus



4, 1964 n. w. EVANS ETAL 3,143,233

MATERIAL HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 7, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INV EN TORS DAFKDD W/ll/AM [VANS ROBERT F. 0572'? Aug. 4, 1964 D W. EVANS ETAL MATERIAL HANDLING APPARATUS w 2 W m mm m w Mm Mw m W m mm fi My w W m 7 w F 8- 4, 1964 D. w. EVANS ETAL MATERIAL HANDLING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Shed 3 Filed Feb. 7, 1961 Wm mm Ym mmvroxs 124/700 Will/4M EVANS 8:; E0852! F.

United States Patent 3,143,233 MATERIAL HANDLING APPARATUS Dafydd W. Evans, Cleveland Heights, and Robert F.

Oster, Rocky River, Ohio, assignors to Towmotor Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Feb. 7, 1961, Ser. No. 87,594 9 Claims. (Cl. 214-652) This invention relates to novel and improved material handling apparatus and more particularly to apparatus especially designed for use with a mobile vehicle or the like, and which is operable to convey material to and from a work area.

The material handling apparatus of the present invention has particular utility for use with a vehicle generally referred to in the art as an industrial truck, and which is operable in conjunction therewith to transport a material charge to and away from a heating furnace or like chamber.

As will be understood, material charges intended for disposition into a heating furnace or other like chamber are oftentimes deposited in what is commonly referred to as a charging box, or in the alternative said charges are preformed into a billet or ingot of predetermined configuration. Said charge as thus contained and/or preformed is intended to be conveyed to the heating chamber, wherein the contents of said charging box or billet may subsequently be discharged into said chamber.

The material handling apparatus of the present invention is especially designed to automatically accomplish the conveyance of a material charge of the above type, among others, to a heating furnace or like chamber, and to provide for the disposition and discharge of said material charge into said chamber, the several operations of said apparatus being preferably controlled from a position remote from said chamber.

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide novel and improved material handling apparatus especially designed for use with a mobile vehicle, and which is operable to convey a material charge to and from a work area.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of novel and improved material handling apparatus especially designed for use with a mobile vehicle and the like, and which is operable therewith to support and convey a material charge to a heating furnace or like chamber, being thereafter operable to automatically discharge said material charge into said furnace.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of novel and improved material handling apparatus especially designed for use with a mobile vehicle or the like, and which apparatus includes work supporting means for supporting a material charge thereon, said means being adjustably mounted on said vehicle and operable in conjunction therewith to deposit said charge within a heating furnace, said apparatus being likewise adjustable relative to said vehicle so as to discharge said material charge into said heating furnace.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of novel and approved material handling apparatus especially designed for use with a mobile vehicle and wherein said apparatus includes a pair of tubular members carried one within the other, work supporting means on said tubular members for supporting a material charge therein, said tubular members being adjustably supported on said vehicle and operable therewith so as to be extendable into a heating furnace or like chamber and deposit said charge therein, said tubular members being likewise adjustable relative to each other effective to actuate said work supporting means so as to discharge said material charge into said furnace.

Additional objects and advantages of the material handling apparatus of the present invention will be apparent to one skilled in the art to which it pertains, and upon reference to the following disclosure of a preferred embodiment thereof, and which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein;

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of material handling apparatus embodying the present invention, and which is shown mounted on the front end of an industrial truck;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the work handling apparatus embodying the present invention, said apparatus being shown disconnected from its supporting truck;

FIG. 3 is one embodiment of hydraulic control circuit for automatically controlling the several operations of the material handling apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the material handling apparatus with external parts partially cut away so as to indicate otherwise hidden parts thereof;

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the material handling apparatus taken approximately on the line 66 in FIG. 7 and showing the turntable rotating mechanism that is incorporated into the material handling apparatus of the present invention; the turntable and attached work supporting means being removed to more clearly show the underlying structure;

FIG. 6 is a view of the rotating mechanism taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken approximately on the plane as is indicated by the line 77 in FIG. 6 with the work supporting means shown attached to the rotating mechanism;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view showing one form of bearing assembly for mounting the rotating mechanism on the industrial truck; and,

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary perspective View of several of the bearing elements used in the bearing assembly, said elements being removed from said assembly to more clearly illustrate the construction thereof.

Briefly, the material handling apparatus of the present invention is herein shown, merely for purposes of the instant disclosure, as adapted for use with a vehicle commonly referred to in the art as a self-powered industrial truck, and which is used primarily for transporting material loads in an industrial installation from one work area to another, the instant material handling apparatus being incorporated into said truck assembly and especially designed to transport material charges to and from a heating furnace or like chamber wherein it is desirable as is aforementioned, to automatically deposit said material charges into said furnace from a remote operators position.

More specifically, the material handling apparatus of the present invention, as adapted for use with said industrial truck, is intended to support a material load while the same is transported to and deposited within said furnace chamber, and is thereafter likewise intended to be automatically operable to discharge said material load from its load supporting apparatus and into said furnace.

Referring now to the drawings throughtout which like elements are designated by the same reference character, the embodiment of work handling apparatus of the present invention is herein shown as adapted for use with an industrial truck, the form of which is generally indicated by the reference character T, and which is somewhat of the type as disclosed in the United States Patent 2,918,143 issued on December 22, 1959, to Walter M. Shafiier. In its present embodiment the truck T is seen to include a vehicle body 10 supported on wheels 11, said body having an operators station as is indicated at 12 from which an operator may operate and control the movement of said truck and/or work handling apparatus as will be hereinafter more fully explained.

The instant embodiment of industrial truck T is also seen to have an adjustable work elevating mechanism identified in its entirety by the reference numeral 16, said mechanism being located preferably at the front end of the said vehicle, being likewise disposed in somewhat of a generally upright position, and intended to be selective- 1y positioned at said location in predetermined elevated positions above the vehicle supporting floor.

The adjustable elevating mechanism 16 is also seen to be provided with a suitable mounting plate 19 extending laterally across the front end of said truck assembly.

The material handling apparatus of the present invention, as is identified in its entirety by the reference numeral 20 is preferably mounted on said mounting plate 19 of said elevating mechanism 16, being thus adjustably positioned with the same above said supporting floor, and in its present form is seen to include a pair of tubular members identified respectively by the reference numerals 23 and 24, said tubular members being disposed in telescopic or nested relation one within the other so as to define a tube within a tube assembly.

The outer tubular member 24 of said pair is seen to have its one end rigidly attached preferably by welding or the like to the front face of a turntable 27, said tubular member preferably projecting outwardly from the latter substantially perpendicularly to the said face of said turntable, said tubular member, in addition, rigidly mounting a work supporting fork at its opposite end.

The inner tubular member 23 is seen to be centrally disposed within the outer tubular member 24, said members being thus disposed axially about a common axis, the inner tubular member 23 being preferably of substantially smaller diameter and concentrically supported therein in spaced relation to the inner wall 24a of said outer tubular member 24 by means of suitable bearings 32. As will be later apparent, the inner member 23 may be solid, if so desired.

The front end of said inner tubular member 23, or that remote from the aforesaid turntable 27, is seen to project forwardly beyond the front end of the outer tubular member 24, and likewise rigidly mounting a work engaging fork as is identified in its entirety by the reference numeral 34. j

The opposite end of the inner tubular member 23 projects freely rearwardly through an opening 36 formed in said turntable 27, terminating preferably closely adjacent the rear face thereof and mounts a yoke member as is identified at 37 thereon. I

The yoke member 37 is seen to have a pair of spaced arms 38 projecting radially outwardly of the inner tubular member 23, preferably perpendicularly to the axis thereof and which are connected by a suitable swivel 39 to the free end of piston arm 40 of a suitable fluid motor 41, the housing 42 of which is likewise swivelly connected as at 43 to said turntable 27.

With this assembly as thus far described, it is intended that by actuating the said fluid motor 41, for example so as to propel its piston arm outwardly of its housing 42 or to the right as seen in FIG. 2 the yoke member 37 and attached inner tubular member 23 will be rotated within the outer tubular member 24 in a clockwise direction, said actuation being thus effective to carry the work supporting fork member 34 on the said inner tubular member 23 clockwise through a predetermined arcuate path, the latter being identified at p, said form member 34 being thereby moved toward the aforesaid fork member 39 on the outer tubular member 24. It will likewise be realized that by actuating the said fluid motor 41 so as to cause a counterclockwise rotation of the inner tubular member 23, the aforesaid work supporting fork 34 thereon will hence be swung counterclockwise through said arcuate path or away from said fork member 30.

The, work supporting fork member 30 carried on the forward end of the outer tubular member 24 is likewise intended to be selectively moved through a similar arcuate path preferably simultaneously with the fork member 34 on the inner tubular member 23 whereby said fork members may be located in preselected spaced relation to each other to one of a plurality of Work supporting positions, being thus capable of accommodating various sizes and/ or configurations of work loads as will be presently explained in greater detail.

For this purpose, the instant embodiment of material handling apparatus includes a rotating mechanism as is identified in its entirety by the reference numeral 50, and which is actuatable so as to selectively reversibly rotate the turntable 27, said turntable actuation being thus effective to rotate the outer tubular member 24 and thereby swing its attached fork member 30 in the manner above mentioned simultaneously with the movement of the fork member 34 on said inner tubular member 23 to thereby locate said fork members in a preselected one of said plurality of work supporting positions.

As will also be later apparent, the present form of rotating mechanism 51) is also intended to be operable so as to reversibly rotate the turntable 27 about its rotational axis sufliciently to swing the fork members from said preselected work supporting position and through an arc of approximately degrees, the purpose for which will be later explained. 7

As best seen in FIG. 7, the turntable 27 is mounted to the front face of a ring member or apron 52, being preferably spaced forwardly from the latter by means of suitable bushings 27a to thus provide a chamber C for housing the aforesaid fluid motor 41, said ring member 52 in turn, being rotatably journaled upon the periphery of a hub or spindle 54, suitable bearing elements are interposed between said spindle and ring member as best seen in FIG. 6, to thus enable said ring member to be freely rotatable about the periphery of said spindle.

The spindle 54 is rigidly attached by suitable means to the front face of the aforementioned mounting plate 19 of the trucks elevating mechanism 16 in such manner so as to project perpendicularly outwardly and forwardly of said mechanism.

Circular chain guide 59 is seen to be disposed over the spindle 54 so as to abut against the rear face of said ring member 52, said chain guide being likewise securely fastened to the latter by means of bolts 60. The chain guide 59 is formed on its periphery with a guide way extending circumferentially there-around as is identified by the reference numeral 62. I

The ring member 52 and attached chain guide 59 are rotatably mounted on the spindle 54 by means of a novel bearing assembly capable of accomodating radial, thrust and/or moment loads applied to the instant material handling apparatus. 7

With reference now directed particularly to FIGS. 8 and 9, the spindle 54 is seen to be formed on its periphery with a groove 56a extending circumferentially therearound, and which cooperates with a similar shaped groove formed by the champered edges 52a' and 5% of the ring member 52 and chain guide 59 respectively, to define a closed raceway R of square cross sectional configuration and which extends circumferentially around said spindle, each of saidsides of said raceway being preferably inclined at an angle of approximately 45 degrees from a vertical line extending centrally therc through. Suitable sealing members such as O-rings 60 are disposed in grooves 61 formed on the inner face of ring member 52 and chain guide 59 and are adapted to slidably engage the confronting outer surface of the spindle 54 on either side of the aforesaid spindle groove 56a to thus provide a liquid seal therebetween A plurality of cylindrical bearing elements 61a are disposed in said raceway R, adjacent bearing elements being spaced apart by an intervening spacer block 61b.

Alternate bearing elements are disposed in said raceway R so that the axes thereof are substantially perpendicular to the axes of the next adjacent bearing element on either side thereof. In other words, every other one of the bearing elements 61a is disposed in said raceway R so that its axis is substantially perpendicular to the axes of the next adjacent bearing element on either side thereof.

With this assembly it is intended that opposite ends of alternate bearing elements, for example the bearing element 61a as viewed in FIG. 8, slidably engage the champered edge 59a of the chain guide 59 and the oppositely disposed side of the groove 56:: in the spindle defining opposite sides of the aforesaid raceway in substantially a surface-to-surface relationship or contact, whereas the opposite ends of the next adjacent bearing element engage the champered edge 52a of the ring member 52 and the side of the aforesaid groove 56a oppositely disposed thereto in a similar surface to surface contact.

In like manner, the peripheral surface of each bearing element 61a, along diametrically opposed and longitudinally extending lines of contact, is intended to engage the remaining two surfaces defining the aforesaid raceway, for example, the peripheral surface of the bearing element viewed in FIG. 8 engages the surfaces 52a of the ring member 52 and the oppositely disposed side of the groove 56a, said contact being along diametrically opposed lines of contact extending axially along said element, said line contact being lflrewise substantially perpendicular to the aforesaid surface to surface contact of said bearing element.

As is aforementioned, the bearing elements 61a are disposed in said raceway, being preferably equally spaced apart by means of spacer blocks 61b. Each of said elements, as thus mounted is intended to be free to rotate about its axes as the ring member 52 is rotated about said spindle 54 in a manner as will be later described while its opposed end surfaces freely slide over the surfaces of said raceway contacted by the same.

As best seen in FIG. 8, a channel 62a is preferably provided at the base of the groove 56a in the spindle 54, extending circumferentially therearound and through which a suitable lubricant may be applied to the complete bearing assembly.

With this bearing assembly, it will now be realized that the same provides a plurality of bearing surfaces circumferentially spaced about the aforesaid common axes about which the tubular members 23 and 24 are mounted, said surfaces in the instant machine embodiment, each angulating outwardly from said axes at an angle of approximately 45 degrees, said bearing surfaces being thus disposed so as to readily accommodate radial, thrust and/or moment loads applied to said tubular members of said handling apparatus.

The chain guide 59 is also formed on its periphery with an anchor member 63, the latter having a pair of oppositely disposed arms 63a, each of which mounts a suitable anchor pin 64.

The instant rotating mechanism 59 is also provided with a dual actuating chain type of translating drive apparatus which is operable with the aforesaid chain guide 59 to thus define a chain drive, said drive being thus intended to translate a reciprocal movement to a rotatable movement effective to reversibly rotatably actuate the turntable 27 about the hub member 54.

As best seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, the drive mechanism includes a carriage member 70 slidably suspended upon a rod 71, preferably approximately directly above the aforementioned spindle 54, in substantial coplanar relation thereto, the ends of said rod being secured within oppositely disposed upstanding plate members 72 attached to the work elevating mechanism 16, said rod thereby extending preferably horizontally therebetween.

A suitable fluid motor 75 is seen to have the closed end of its cylinder 76 attached to one of the aforesaid plate members 72, and the free end of its piston arm 77 securely fastened to an upstanding bracket 79 formed on one end of the aforementioned carriage member 70.

With this assembly, it is intended that by actuating the fluid motor 75, the carriage member 70 may be reciprocally reversibly slidably moved along its supporting rod 71.

The instant drive mechanism also includes a pair of link chains each preferably being identical in length and identified in the present drive assembly by the reference numeral 81, one end of each of said chains being securely fastened to one of the aforementioned plate members 72 and the opposite end thereof being attached to one of the arms 63a of the anchor member 63 carried on said ring member 52. Each of said link chains is likewise interconnected to the carriage member 7 t3 whereby upon actuation of the latter in the manner as is above described, said chains cooperate therewith and with said sprocket 59 to translate the reciprocal movement of said carriage member into a rotatable motion effective to selectively rotate said ring member and attached turntable 27.

To accomplish this, the carriage member 79 is seen to rotatably mount a pair of rollers 86, one of which is preferably mounted adjacent each end of said member.

A similar roller 89 is likewise rotatably journaled on each of the aforementioned plate members 72 so as to be spaced below the carriage member 70, said rollers 86 and 89 being preferably disposed so as to be substantially in coplanar relation to the chain guide 59 mounted on the aforesaid hub or spindle 54.

An idler roller 91 rotatably carried within a suitable mounting as is indicated at 92, is likewise seen to be rigidly fastened to each of the support posts 93 forming a part of the aforementioned work elevating mechanism 16 of the industrial truck T, each of said idler sprockets, as thus positioned, being spaced preferably below the adjacent roller 89 and closely adjacent to the chain guide 59 carried on the ring member 52, and also so as to be preferably located above a horizontal line drawn through the axis of said turntable 27. Each of said idler sprockets as thus mounted is likewise preferably disposed in coplanar relation to the aforesaid chain guide 59.

Each of the link chains 81 as is aforementioned, has its one end securely fastened to one of the plate members 72, at a position thereon spaced above the roller 89 carried on the latter as best seen in FIG. 6, and thence extends from said initial end connection inwardly toward the center of the carriage 70, and over and around the roller 86 carried on the adjacent end of said carriage member. Each of said chains is then passed outwardly and over and around the roller 89, carried on the plate member 72 below the aforesaid initial end chain connection, and then inwardly and over and around the idler roller 91 disposed therebelow. The relative location between the rollers 86, 89 and 91 for each chain as thus far described are preferably prearranged so that the various portions or runs of its respective chain extend substantially horizontally therebetween. From said idler roller 91 the aforesaid chain of each assembly is then extended downwardly and around the arcuate portion of the chain guide 59 disposed between said idler roller 91 and the arm 63 of the anchor member 63a located at the opposite end of said arcuate portion of said chain guide 59.

With this assembly as is best seen in FIG. 6, the link chains 81 are each partially wrapped around a predetermined arcuate portion of the chain guide 59 in an opposite direction to that of its companion chain.

As will be understood, the chain guide 59 and associated rollers 36, 89 and 91 may be replaced by suitable chain sprockets of similar configuration whereby an equivalent assembly may be obtained.

As is likewise viewed in FIG. 6, it is intended that as the carriage member '70 of the drive assembly is moved to the right from its piston retracted position as shown in solid lines to its piston extended position, as is shown in dotted lines, the ring member 52 and attached turntable 27 will be rotated about the spindle 54 in a clockwise direction.

To accomplish this, the ring member 52, when initially mounted onto the spindle 54, is rotated thereon so as to locate the anchor member 63 in the approximate position as shown in FIG. 6. With said ring member held in this adjusted position, the link chains 81 are then suspended between their respective roller members as is aforementioned and their respective arcuate portions of the chain guide 59 and then anchored to the arms 63a of said anchor member.

Specifically, with said ring member 52 in the instant assembly as thus disposed, the link chain 81 on the left side of the instant drive assembly, as viewed in FIG. 6, is seen to be extended around approximately 200 degrees or at least half the periphery of said chain guide 59, whereas its companion chain, disposed on the right side of said assembly, extends around approximately 20 degrees or at least one-eighth the periphery of said chain guide, said chain guide portions being spaced one from the other and on opposite sides of said anchor member 63.

With the ring member 52 in this initial position, the turntable 27 is mounted to the same in the manner as is above described, and the aforesaid fluid motor 41 is prepositioned or actuated so as to locate the fork members 34 and 30 on the inner and outer tubular members 23 and 24 respectively in the position therefor as is shown in'solid lines in FIG. wherein each of said fork members is disposed at the lowermost end of its arcuate path 2, being thus spaced a minimum distance apart and substantially in the same horizontal plane.

From this position, the turntable 27 and the outer tubular member 24 are intended to be rotated in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 5, simultaneously with the counterclockwise rotatable actuation of the inner tubular member 23 to thus swing the fork members 30 and 34 simultaneously in opposite directions along said paths p therefor to anyone of a plurality of adjusted positions therealong, the endmost position for each of said fork members being depicted in dotted lines in said reference drawings.

To accomplish this, the fluid motors 41 and 75 are preferably connected into a suitable hydraulic control circuit of conventional design, such as the control circuit as shown in FIG. 3, whereby the actuation of said motors may be controlled by the operator from his remote position at his vehicle station 12.

With particular reference now directed to FIG. 3, the embodiment of'control circuit herein shown is merely one circuit configuration as will be understood by the artisan that is capable of controlling the operation of said fluid motors in the manner intended. Said circuit is specifically seen to comprise a control valve V of conventional design, for example, the control valve manufactured commercially by the Parker Appliance Division of Parker-Hannifin Corporation of Cleveland, Ohio and identified as a 4 plug or stem, 3 position, control valve, No. (VDP2DSDD2lD), only two of said plugs or stations of said valve being herein merely schematically shown, as are identified by the reference characters a and 11, each of said plugs or valve stations having 3 positions identified respectively by a a a and b b b Station a of said valve V is seen to be connected by conduit 95 to one end of the cylinder 76 of fluid motor 75, said conduit 95, in turn, being connected in parallel with a conduit 96 communicating with station b of said valve.

Station A of said valve V is likewise connected by conduit 98 to the input side of station 0 of a suitable double pilot check valve of convention design, such as for example the check valve K manufactured commercially by the Fluid Controls, Inc. of Willoughby, Ohio, and identified by the part No. B58029, said check valve having two valve stations 0 and c each of which SJ 0 is normally conditioned to permit'an output fluid flow in the direction of the arrow y and actuatable to an operated position effective to permit an output fluid flow in the direction as indicated by the arrow x. Conduit 99 connects the output side of valve station 0 to one end of the cylinder 42 of motor 41. Said conduit'98 is also seen to be connected in parallel with conduit 101 communicating with the opposite end of the aforesaid motor cylinder 76.

The station b of said valve V is similarly connected in series by conduit 103 to the input side of valve station of said check valve K, the output end thereof being connected through conduit 104 to the opposite end of the cylinder 42.

The piston rod 40 of fluid motor 41 is shown in its extended position so that the fork member 34 is in its innermost position as shown in FIG. 5, whereas the piston rod 77 of fluid motor 71 is in its retracted position so that the carriage member 70 and hence the turntable 27 is likewise positioned at the aforesaid initial position therefor to thus dispose the fork member 30 also in its innermost position.

The valve stations a to are actuated by lever 1 whereas valve stations 12 to b are actuated by lever 1 Each of said valve stations a and 17 is the neutral position for each of said stations.

To provide for the simultaneous movement of said fork members 30 and 34 to a preselected one of said adjusted positions therefor, the control circuit is operated in the following manner.

The lever I; of the control valve V is operated so as to connect the conduit 96 through valve station b to the fluid source whereby the cylinder 76 is energized to propel its piston rod 77 to the right, and slide the carriage in the same direction which, as heretofore mentioned, causes the turntable 27 to partake of a clockwise rotation as viewed in FIG. 6 which is also effective to swing the fork member 30 upwardly and away from the fork member 34.

As seen in FIG. 3, the opposite end of the cylinder 76 is connected by conduits 101, 98, valve station c of the check valve K and conduit 99 to the right end of the cylinder 42 so that as the piston rod 77 of said motor begins to move to the right, the portion of said cylinder 76 ahead of said rod is bled through said conduits and check valve into said cylinder 42. Consequently, the latter cylinder is also simultaneously energized so as to retract its piston rod 40 to the left with a consequent counterclockwise swinging of the fork member 34 upwardly and away from the aforesaid fork member 30. As will be understood, the left end of the cylinder 76 is permitted to bleed through conduit 104, valve station 0 of the check valve K, conduit 103 and valve station b to the sump of the fluid source.

Since the inner tubular member 23 is also carried in a clockwise direction with the turntable 27, the operational characteristics of the fluid motors 41 and 75 are preferably selected so that the linear velocity of the piston rod 40 is approximately double the linear velocity of the piston rod 77 so that the inner tubular member 23 will be rotated counterclockwise by said piston rod 40 at a sufficient velocity as to move the fork members at approximately the same velocity away from each other and to maintain the same in substatntial horizontal spaced relation during the interval of adjustment therefor.

In this manner, the inner and outer tubular members 23 and 24, as thus disposed in said nested relation, may be selectively rotatably actuated so as to locate the work supporting fork members 34 and 30, respectively, in predetermined horizontal spaced relation to each other so as to accommodate the disposition of a material charge thereon preparatory to conveying the same to the aforementioned heating furnace. As seen particularly in FIG. 2, each of the fork members is provided with an outwardly projecting rod r which is adapted to accommodate the charging box and/ or material billet thereon or other selected configuration of material charge to thus facilitate carrying said charge to said heating furnace.

Although not herein shown in detail, it is intended that when the fork members 30 and 34 have been raised to their respective adjusted postions to thus accommodate the material load thereon the lever of the valve V is returnable to its neutral position (valve station b effective to disconnect the conduit 96 from the fluid source and to lock the fluid motors 41 and 75 in their adjusted positions. As will also be understood, the check valve K connected between the cylinders 41 and 75 is effective to prevent fluid leaking between said cylinders which may cause the fork members 30 and 34 to gradually seek incorrect positions after the valve is returned to its said neutral position.

With the material load supported on the fork members 30 and 34, the elevating mechanism 16 may then be adjusted, if so desired, to raise and/ or lower the supported charge to a desirable height above the supporting floor after which the vehicle T is thus caused to convey the same to the heating furnace or chamber whereby the tubular members 23 and 24 are extended partially into said chamber so as to discharge said load therein.

In the case where the material load is contained within the aforementioned charging box it is required that said box be inverted so as to empty the contents thereof into said chamber.

To accomplish this, the operator actuates lever l of the control valve V so as to connect the conduit 95 through station a to the fluid source whereby the cylinder 76 is energized to again propel its piston rod 77 to the right, as viewed in FIGS. 3 and 6, which is elfective to cause the translating drive mechanism to rotate the turntable 27 in the same direction in the manner as is above described and hence to swing the fork members 30 and 34 through an additional arc of approximately 180 degrees sufficiently to invert said charging box, and thus discharge the contents therefrom. During this interval, the opposite end of the cylinder 76 is connected through conduits 98 and 101 and valve station (1 to the sump of the fluid source.

To return the turntable 27 and fork members 30 and 34 to their initial position such as for example the position therefor shown in FIG. 1, the operator actuates lever 2 of the valve V so as to connect the series conduit 193 through valve station I), to the fluid source which is eflective to reversibly energize the cylinder 42 of the fluid motor 41 and hence cause the piston rod 49 thereof to be extended to the right as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 3. As a result, the inner tubular member 23 is rotated within the outer tubular member 24 in a clockwise direction to thus swing the fork member 34 toward its companion fork member 30 on said outer tubular member 24.

Simultaneously with the energization of cylinder 42, the cylinder 76 is also reversibly energized through conduits 99, 98 and 161 interconnecting said cylinders 42 and 76 in series relation. As a result, the piston arm 77 is retracted which, in turn, slides the carriage 70 to the left, as viewed in FIG 6, so as to provide a counterclockwise rotation to the turntable 27 and attached tubular members 23 and 24 so that the fork member 30 is also swung toward its companion fork member 34, whereby the same are returned to the aforementioned initial position therefor. Lever l of said control valve V is then actuated to connect its valve station a and conduit 93 to the fluid source which is effective to cause a continual retraction of the piston rod 77 whereby the turntable 27 is returned to its initial position.

In the event the material charge supported on the fork members 30 and 34 is in the form of an ingot or billet having, for example, a T-shaped configuration whereby said fork members are adjusted, so as to underlie the cross bar of said ingot and the elevating mechanism 16 of the truck T is then raised so as to support said ingot in a raised position while the same is deposited into the heating chamber, the fork members 30 and 34 may also be required to be further separated so as to permit the ingot to fall therebetween. As will also be realized, the turntable 27 may also be rotated, if necessary, in the manner just described to a position whereby the ingot is inverted sufficiently so that it will slide from between said supporting fork members and into said chamber.

Since the turntable 27 is first rotated in a clockwise direction so as to swing the fork member 30 through its arcuate path p for positioning the same in preselected spaced relation to its companion fork member 34, and thereafter is again rotated in a clockwise direction to cause the inverting of the charging box or like container for discharging the contents thereon into said heating chamber, it will be apparent that the instant translating drive mechanism 50 is intended to be operable so as to reversibly rotate the turntable 27 through approximately 220 degrees.

Although the instant translating drive mechanism provides approximately 220 degrees of rotational actuation to the turntable 27, it is apparent that the several components of said mechanism may be prepositioned upon their assembly so that the same will provide any preselected rotational actuation, for example degrees of rotation for said turntable.

It may also be desirable to rotate the turntable 27 in the opposite direction for inverting the fork members 30 and 34. This may be accomplished by rotating the ring member 52 approximately in a clockwise direction from the position therefor as shown in FIG. 6 to thus locate the anchor member 63 on the left side of the spindle 54 and thereafter actuating the fluid motor 75 to extend its piston rod 77 and move the carriage 70 to the right side of its supporting rod, said position being thus the initial position therefor. Thereafter, the link chains 81 may be inter-connected to said carriage and ring member 52 in the same manner as is above described whereby upon actuating the fluid motor 75 so as to cause the retraction of its piston rod 77 and movement of the carriage 70 to the left, the ring member 52 and attached turntable 27 will be rotated in a counterclockwise direction which is opposite to that previously described.

Other changes, combinations and/or arrangements of the several components of the instant material handling apparatus will be apparent to one skilled in the art to which it pertains, said modifications as will be understood being within the scope of the inventive concepts hereof as are defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. in combination, a vehicle having a generally upright carrier plate, material handling apparatus comprising a turntable rotatably supported on said plate, a pair of telescopically related members carried on said turntable so as to extend generally horizontally outwardly from said vehicle, load supporting means on each of said members for supporting a load thereon, first drive means connected to said turntable and actuatable to rotate said turntable and said members effective to swing said load supporting means on said members in one direction through a predetermined arcuate path, second drive means connected to one of said members and actuatable to rotate said one member relative to the other of said telescopically related members effective to swing the load supporting means on said one member in the opposite direction through a predetermined arcuate path, control means for controlling the actuation of said first and second drive means whereby the load supporting means in each of said members swings away from each other to a load supporting position, and said first drive means being subsequently actuatable to rotate said turntable and telescopically related members effective to swing said load supporting means through an additional arcuate path in said one direction to a load discharging position.

2. Material handling apparatus in combination with a vehicle as is defined in claim 1 and wherein the control means is operable to control the actuation of the first and second drive means such that the load supporting means on each of said members swing away from each other at substantiallly the same velocity.

3. Material handling apparatus in combination with a vehicle as is defined in claim 1 and wherein the first drive means includes a carriage movably supported on the vehicle, means interconnecting said carriage and said turntable, and means for moving said carriage to effect the rotation of said turntable and telescopically related members.

4. Material handling apparatus in combination with a vehicle as is defined in claim 3 and wherein the means interconnecting said carriage and turntable comprises flexible chain means interconnected to said turntable and carriage and operable to effect reversible rotation of said turntable in response to a reversible actuation of said carriage.

5. Material handling apparatus in combination with a vehicle as is defined in claim 4 and wherein the first drive means includes a reversible fluid motor drivingly connected to said carriage.

6. Material handling apparatus in combination with a vehicle as is defined in claim 4 and wherein the second drive means includes a reversible fluid motor dn'vingly connected to said one telescopically related member.

7. In combination, a vehicle having a generally upright carrier plate, material handling apparatus comprising a turntable rotatably supported on said plate, a pair of telescopically related tubular members carried on said turntable so as to extend generally horizontally outwardly from said vehicle, a load supporting arm attached to the free end of each of said tubular members and extending outwardly therefrom, a carriage slidably mounted on said vehicle, flexible chain means interconnecting said carriage and said turntable, first motor means for slidably moving'said carriage to effect a consequent rotation of said turntable and tubular members and swing said arms in one direction-througha predetermined arcuate path, second motor means for rotating one of said tubular members relative to the other of said tubular members effective to swing the load supporting arm on said one member in the opposite direction through a predetermined arcuate path, control means in circuit with said first and second motor means for controlling the actuation thereof such that the load supporting arms on said tubular members swing away from each other at substantially thesame velocity to a load supporting position, and said first motor means being subsequently operable to rotate said turntable and tubular members effective to swing said load supporting arms through an additional arcuate path in said one direction to a load discharging position.

8. Material handling apparatus in combination with a vehicle as is defined in claim 7 and wherein the first motor means is interconnected between the carriage and carrier plate.

9. Material handling apparatus in combination with a vehicle as is defined in claim 7 and wherein the second motor means is interconnected between the inner member of said telescopically pair of related members and said turntable.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 818,869 Calvert Apr. 24, 1906 2,430,359 Messinger Nov. 4, 1947 2,632,574 Goertz Mar. 24, 1953 2,676,723 Schroeder Apr. 27, 1954 2,677,475 Davies et al." May 4, 1954 2,708,767 Dean May 24, 1955 2,823,083 Welton et a1. Feb. 11, 1958 2,996,205 Ulinski Aug. 15, 1961 3,027,031 Woodward et al Mar. 27, 1962 

1. IN COMBINATION, A VEHICLE HAVING A GENERALLY UPRIGHT CARRIER PLATE, MATERIAL HANDLING APPARATUS COMPRISING A TURNTABLE ROTATABLY SUPPORTED ON SAID PLATE, A PAIR OF TELESCOPICALLY RELATED MEMBERS CARRIED ON SAID TURNTABLE SO AS TO EXTEND GENERALLY HORIZONTALLY OUTWARDLY FROM SAID VEHICLE, LOAD SUPPORTING MEANS ON EACH OF SAID MEMBERS FOR SUPPORTING A LOAD THEREON, FIRST DRIVE MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID TURNTABLE AND ACTUATABLE TO ROTATE SAID TURNTABLE AND SAID MEMBERS EFFECTIVE TO SWING SAID LOAD SUPPORTING MEANS ON SAID MEMBERS IN ONE DIRECTION THROUGH A PREDETERMINED ARCUATE PATH, SECOND DRIVE MEANS CONNECTED TO ONE OF SAID MEMBERS AND ACTUATABLE TO ROTATE SAID ONE MEMBER RELATIVE TO THE OTHER OF SAID TELESCOPICALLY RELATED MEMBERS EFFECTIVE TO SWING THE LOAD SUPPORTING MEANS ON SAID ONE MEMBER IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION THROUGH A PREDETERMINED ARCUATE PATH, CONTROL MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE ACTUATION OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND DRIVE MEANS WHEREBY THE LOAD SUPPORTING MEANS IN EACH OF SAID MEMBERS SWINGS AWAY FROM EACH OTHER TO A LOAD SUPPORTING POSITION, AND SAID FIRST DRIVE MEANS BEING SUBSEQUENTLY ACTUATABLE TO ROTATE SAID TURNTABLE AND TELESCOPICALLY RELATED MEMBERS EFFECTIVE TO SWING SAID LOAD SUPPORTING MEANS THROUGH AN ADDITIONAL ARCUATE PATH IN SAID ONE DIRECTION TO A LOAD DISCHARGING POSITION. 